Taken by Chicago's noted photographer Max Platz (often referred to as the Sarony of the West) this cabinet photograph depicts two young actresses costumed rather convincingly as 16th Century German Landsknecht mercenary soldiers - note the short sword carried by the actress at right. Nothing is known is regards as to the identities of these two actresses or what theatrical production they may have been part of.

Max Platz opened his Clark Street studio in 1881 and this cabinet photograph's card mount is of the relatively thin and unadorned type commonly seen in the 1870s which leads me to dating the image to the very early 1880s.Cabinet PhotographMax Platz - Photographer88 N. Clark Street, Chicago. Illinois, United Statesc. 1880s